REJECTED BY THE ALPHA, DESIRED BY HIS RIVAL

Chapter Five: The Alpha Who Bowed

Elowen could not breathe.

The silver light beneath her skin pulsed once.

Then again.

With every pulse, the forest seemed to answer.

Leaves trembled even though there was no wind. The wolves surrounding her lowered their heads until their noses nearly touched the ground. Even the trees seemed unnaturally still, as if the entire forest were waiting for something.

Elowen looked around in confusion.

"Why is everyone bowing?"

No one answered.

Her eyes found Soren.

He was still holding her, but his expression had completely changed.

The confidence was gone.

The calm, unreadable mask he always wore had disappeared.

He looked...

afraid.

"Soren?"

He didn't respond.

"Aurek?"

The former Alpha of Blackthorn was staring at her as though he was seeing her for the first time.

Elowen swallowed.

"Someone tell me what is happening."

Elder Varos slowly rose from his knee.

His face was pale.

"You have awakened."

Elowen's voice shook.

"Awakened what?"

"Your blood."

"What does that mean?"

Varos looked toward the moon.

"The Moonborn power has returned."

Elowen stared at him.

"I don't have any power."

"You do."

"No."

Her voice became firmer.

"I don't."

She looked at her glowing wrist.

"I've never done anything like this."

"You never had the opportunity."

Varos took one step forward.

Soren immediately moved in front of Elowen.

"Stay back."

Varos stopped.

"You cannot hide her anymore, Alpha."

Soren's eyes narrowed.

"I don't intend to hide her."

"Then what do you intend to do?"

Soren didn't answer.

Varos smiled.

"Protect her?"

Soren's jaw tightened.

"Yes."

"You cannot protect her from an entire kingdom."

Soren stepped closer.

"Try me."

The tension between them thickened.

Elowen looked at Soren.

"Why are you talking like you already know what happens next?"

Soren glanced at her.

"Because I've heard the stories."

"What stories?"

"About the Moonborn."

"Tell me."

Soren hesitated.

Then he said quietly,

"They were once considered the highest bloodline among wolves."

Elowen stared.

"Above Alphas?"

"Yes."

Aurek finally spoke.

"They didn't rule through territory."

Soren looked at him.

"They ruled through blood."

Aurek continued.

"The Moonborn could command wolves without being their Alpha."

Elowen's heart raced.

"Command?"

Soren nodded.

"Your presence alone can influence their instincts."

Elowen looked around.

Every wolf was still kneeling.

"So I'm controlling them?"

"No."

Soren's voice softened.

"They're choosing to bow."

That frightened her more.

"Why?"

Neither Alpha answered.

Varos did.

"Because they recognize their true ruler."

Elowen stared at him.

"I don't want to rule anyone."

Varos laughed.

"You don't get to choose what you were born to become."

The words struck something inside her.

For most of her life, people had already decided who she was supposed to be.

A daughter.

A pack member.

A future Luna.

A rejected mate.

And now they wanted to make her a ruler.

Elowen shook her head.

"No."

Everyone looked at her.

"I've spent my entire life being told what I'm supposed to be."

She looked at Aurek.

"Mate."

Then Soren.

"Guest."

Then Varos.

"Moonborn."

Her eyes hardened.

"I'm done letting other people decide who I am."

For the first time, nobody spoke.

Soren looked at her with something close to admiration.

Aurek looked almost pained.

Varos simply smiled.

"That's exactly what your mother said."

Elowen froze.

"You knew her."

"Yes."

"Tell me about her."

Varos's expression changed.

"Your mother was dangerous."

"She was kind."

"You remember her?"

"Of course."

"Then you remember nothing."

Elowen frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Varos looked at her silver eyes.

"Your mother wasn't a weak woman hiding from the council."

He stepped closer.

"She was the last Moonborn before you."

Elowen's breath caught.

"She had the same power."

"More."

Varos's voice lowered.

"She could command every wolf in a territory."

Elowen shook her head.

"Why would she hide?"

"Because the council feared her."

"Then why didn't they kill her?"

"They tried."

Aurek's face tightened.

Elowen noticed.

"You knew about this too."

Aurek looked at her.

"Some of it."

"How much?"

"I knew your mother was being hunted."

"And you still rejected me."

Aurek flinched.

"I had no choice."

"You always have a choice."

"I chose to keep you alive."

"You chose for me."

Her voice cracked.

"You decided that leaving me broken was better than telling me the truth."

Aurek looked down.

"I thought you would be safer away from me."

Elowen laughed bitterly.

"Look where that got me."

Aurek had no answer.

Suddenly, a howl sounded from the eastern side of the forest.

Soren's head snapped toward the sound.

"More wolves."

One of his guards ran toward them.

"Alpha!"

"What?"

"There's movement near the northern border."

"How many?"

"At least thirty."

Soren's expression hardened.

"Blackthorn?"

The guard shook his head.

"We don't know."

Soren turned toward Elowen.

"You need to return to the castle."

"No."

"Elowen."

"I'm tired of running."

"They may be coming for you."

"Then let them come."

Soren stared at her.

"You don't understand."

"No."

Elowen stepped closer.

"That's the problem."

She pointed at the glowing mark on her arm.

"Nobody tells me anything. Nobody asks what I want. You keep saying you're protecting me, but I don't even know what I'm being protected from."

Soren looked at her for a long moment.

Then he lowered his voice.

"The council."

"I know."

"They will keep coming."

"I know."

"They won't stop."

"Then neither will I."

Something shifted in Soren's expression.

He had expected fear.

He hadn't expected defiance.

His wolf stirred.

Our mate.

Soren pushed the thought away.

Not now.

Not here.

Aurek stepped forward.

"She's coming with me."

Soren turned.

"No."

"Aurek."

Elowen looked at him.

"You already rejected me."

"I know."

"Then stop acting like you still have a claim."

Aurek's face tightened.

"I don't."

His eyes softened.

"But I still care about you."

Elowen looked away.

That was the one thing she didn't want to hear.

Because some part of her still cared too.

Not enough to forgive him.

Not enough to forget.

But enough to hurt.

Soren noticed.

His chest tightened.

He hated that Aurek could still affect her.

But instead of saying anything, he turned toward his guards.

"Take everyone back to the castle."

The guards moved.

Elowen followed.

Soren walked beside her.

For several minutes, neither spoke.

Then Elowen quietly said,

"Why did you look scared?"

Soren glanced at her.

"When?"

"When my eyes changed."

"I wasn't scared."

"You were."

He sighed.

"You notice too much."

"I've been told."

Soren almost smiled.

Then his expression became serious again.

"I was afraid for you."

"Why?"

"Because awakening your blood means the council knows you're alive."

Elowen looked at him.

"And?"

"And now there's no hiding you."

They reached the castle gates.

Before entering, Elowen stopped.

"Soren."

He turned.

"What?"

She hesitated.

"Earlier..."

He waited.

"When you held my hand, I felt something."

Soren went completely still.

Elowen touched her wrist.

"It was strange."

"What did you feel?"

"Warmth."

Soren said nothing.

"And then you pulled away."

"I had to."

"Why?"

Because you're my mate.

The words almost escaped.

Instead, he said,

"Because I wasn't sure what it meant."

Elowen studied him.

"You don't look like someone who is unsure of anything."

"I'm not."

"Then what are you unsure about?"

Soren looked into her eyes.

"You."

Her heart skipped.

Before she could respond, a horn sounded from the castle tower.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Every guard immediately drew their weapons.

Soren's face hardened.

"What is it?"

A messenger came running down the stairs.

"Alpha!"

"What happened?"

The messenger was breathing heavily.

"The northern wall."

Soren waited.

"Someone left a message."

"What message?"

The messenger swallowed.

"They wrote it in blood."

Elowen felt cold.

"What does it say?"

The messenger looked at her.

Then at Soren.

"The Moonborn belongs to the throne."

Silence.

Soren's eyes darkened.

"Who left it?"

"We don't know."

"How many guards saw them?"

"None."

Soren looked toward the castle walls.

Impossible.

Someone had entered Valcrest territory without being detected.

And that meant only one thing.

The enemy wasn't outside anymore.

They were already inside.

A scream suddenly echoed from the castle.

Elowen turned.

Another scream followed.

Then the castle doors slammed shut.

Soren grabbed Elowen's hand.

"Stay beside me."

"What happened?"

"I don't know."

He drew his weapon.

Aurek immediately shifted into a defensive stance.

The guards surrounded them.

Then every torch in the courtyard went out.

Darkness swallowed everything.

Elowen heard footsteps.

One.

Two.

Three.

Coming from somewhere behind them.

She turned.

Nothing.

Then someone whispered directly beside her ear.

"Moonborn."

Elowen spun around.

A shadow disappeared into the darkness.

Soren's eyes flashed.

"Everyone stay where you are!"

But it was too late.

A sharp pain suddenly burned across Elowen's wrist.

The silver mark began glowing again.

This time, the light spread across her entire arm.

And somewhere inside the castle, something ancient answered.

A deep growl shook the walls.

Not a wolf.

Not a man.

Something older.

Something that had been waiting for her awakening.

Soren looked toward the castle.

His face went pale.

"That's impossible."

Aurek stared at him.

"What?"

Soren slowly tightened his grip around Elowen's hand.

"The Moonborn didn't rule alone."

Elowen looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

Soren's eyes met hers.

"There was something that served them."

Another growl echoed beneath the castle.

The ground trembled.

Soren whispered,

"And I think it just woke up."